Use soap for your plants. Everyone does it, the reason is surprising.
Plants are not immune to pest attacks. Some pests can invade the plants in your garden and vegetable garden or even plants grown indoors. Aphids, spider mites, thrips or mealybugs can cause significant damage to your plants. These parasitic insects suck the sap from plants and thus weaken the plants. However, you can defeat these harmful pests with soap. We tell you more in this article.
To protect your plants from unwanted insects that ravage them, it is not necessary to use chemical pesticides. Soap is known for its insecticidal and antibacterial properties.
Why is soap good for plants?
Soap is an effective insecticide to fight against parasites that ravage your plants, as long as you choose a natural and biodegradable soap, such as Marseille soap, black soap or Castile soap.
Marseille soap to fight parasites
Marseille soap 3
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Marseille soap – Source: spm
Very effective at removing tough stains and maintaining your home and clothes, Marseille soap is also beneficial for plants.
To prepare your natural insecticide, grate your soap bar to obtain shavings that you will dilute. You will need about 150 g of soap shavings for a litre of water. In a saucepan, mix the chips with water and bring the mixture to a boil. Stir to help dissolve the shavings, then pour the insecticide into a spray bottle. Then spray on the infested foliage.
If you have liquid Marseille soap, dilute 3 tablespoons in a litre of water and pour your solution into a spray bottle.
For added effectiveness, it is advisable to add 10 drops of neem oil to your insecticide. This oil from India is effective in killing insects, but also their larvae and eggs. In addition to that, this natural fungicide is also effective in preventing fungal diseases.
Plant infected with cochineal
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Plant infected with cochineal – Source: spm
Black soap to fight insect pests
Black soap is a natural and biodegradable soap composed of natural fatty acids such as linseed oil or olive oil. Black soap has different uses. It is used to care for the body, to maintain the house, but also to protect plants from parasitic insects. To prepare your natural insecticide, dilute 5 tablespoons of liquid black soap in a container filled with a liter of warm water. Transfer your product to a spray bottle, to make it easier to apply, wait for your insecticide to cool, then spray it on the leaves of the infested plants, remembering to also spray on the underside of the leaves.
Please note that it is not recommended to spray your solution during the day, under the sun. Wait until the end of the day, when temperatures drop, or spray your solution early in the morning.
Castile soap to kill insects
Castile soap is a biodegradable natural soap, very effective in fighting aphids, mites, thrips and mealybugs. This antifungal soap is also effective in treating certain cryptogamic diseases, such as mildew. To prepare a biological insecticide, dilute two teaspoons of baking soda, a large spoonful of Castile soap and add two tablespoons of vegetable oil in two liters of water. Mix well and spray your insecticide on the foliage of the plant.
Please note that in addition to these natural soaps with insecticidal properties, you can also use nettle manure, coffee grounds or a decoction of garlic to scare away small predatory insects that affect the good growth of your plants.
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